, 1887-01-29
WHAT CAME OF 1T.

seeing him amount to anything. She was
widow. with no one to help her train her
son, and neither advice, ex%postulaiion
nor argument had any effect upon him
He studied no more than was absolutely
necessary to enable him to keep up with
his classes, had no ambition to be at the
head OF any of them, and worked as little
as possible about the house, though love
and consideration for his mother pre-
vented him from ever Sinking his regular
duties, such rs milking the cow, cutting
wood and bringing water. But he stared
at her aghast when she proposed TINT lac
hOuld take entire charge OF the garden,
devoting to it his time before and after
school hours, thus saving the expense nf
hiring help.
oh. mother, | never could, ' he snid;
the weeds would be higher than my head
in a months time I'm no hand at Il rake
Or n hoe.
You're no hand at anything rs far "a
! can see, - said his mother There will
have to be n radical change in you,
Stuart, II YOU expect ever to win money or
position.
Il don't know that | care for either,
answered Stuart. "I'm not one Of the
pushing kind. 4 quiet life suits me best.
And you'll be content to see all your
friends get ahead OF you, | suppose.
Now, mother, don't worry'-and stu
art looked really distressed I'm come
out all right, never fear.
.'There'll have to be II miracle worked,
then, said Mrs. willard, signing. ''I.azi-
ness is the one fault of your character,
Stuart. and 1t will keep you down all your
life.
Though nverse to exertion OF any kind
Stuart was a fun-loving boy, always ready
for a frolic, and not apt to think, until re-
pentancc was too late to be of any avail,
Of the right or wrong OF the good time.
And he had three particular friends who,
in boy parlance, never stuck at any
thing when there was fun ahead.
They all considered old Simon Pfeifer.
the richest man In Westville, fair
game, for it was well known that he
hated anything in the shape of II boy, and
never spoke to or looked at one, little or
big, without growing like the rough old
bear he was believed to be.
He was an old bachelor, and lived with
IL housekeeper and half II dozen servants
IN II handsome house In the suburbs of
the town. and he might have thoroughly
enjoyed his large grounds, fine orchards.
and well bred live stock but for the boy,
Of the town. who mischievously mike
his cows, stole his fruit fshed in his trout
pond, broke down his fences, left hi gates
open, and made themselves generally Oh
nuNiOu-
The c~ulprits alwnys managed ia ,ume
WAY tp escape detection. Well did they
know the terrible example that would be-
made of TIA. FIRST boy old Simon caught.
He openly declared that he would show no
mercy, aud would know how tu deal with
the offender
We never know how our most tuiling
impulses. ii acted upon, mny Affect ihe
lives Of other. When Ben Hopper stopped
one May evening ut the gate of the little
cottage in which Stuart lived and asked ID
he didn't want 10 20 out 10 The old mill Oh
the Greek road to hunt squirrels. no intui
ti"u told linn thn, he was doing something
which was To lead to an event that would
Influence all the rest Of stuart s lie
Stuart accepted the invitation, Of course,
md on their why out Of the boys
were Joined by Tom llalpine and Luke
" right, who Ncr" quite n fond OF squirrel
limiting H- Nrtr stuart and Ben.
For at least half "A mile after lcNN ing tn
town the Greek road was bounded on one
slh by u pasture belonging 10 Mr. Pfencr,
aud -p generously did il abound with
chestnut, pcisimmun and crab applr tree
that the boys of the town were familiar
with every rod OF it
But II wa not the season now Tor chest
nut-. pcr-innmon. OF crab apples, and the
squirrel hunting party would have gone
whistling aud shouting by had not "a lrnnd.
some brown horse. quietly grazing the
short grass, raised his head nj sight ol
them and whinnicd softly
Il know something we can do q -iniil
bcttrr'n squirrel hunting said Lux,
Wright. stopping short What no No,
Ray la d ride
I'm in for IL. answered Tom Halpino
81 don't believe we'd md any squirrels
anyhow They re getting 81 shy they
don't come round the mill lik, tine,
used to-
Tn brown horse had probably beer
feeling lonely aud was glad OF company
for he made M objection whatever whol
Stuart lot down q pair Of bars, and. goin.
up Ia him. took hold OF his fnrclock aud IT,,
him into tho road
But he objected very vigorously t.
having four boys ON his back Al one time
and kicked and carcencd around until he
succeeded in Kidding himself Of all -four 40
them.
wen haNoto take turns riding, sal,
Ben Hopper Each fellow cun 20 MS i'
us the bridge and then turn back
They had made u bride out of a rop,
Stuart hnd in his pocket and u piece -
wood they picked up on the rond, and The
horse allowed himself to be guided verl
easily lie seemed spirited but yer!
gentle and had evidently been trained L
trut.
The boy, uetcd ON Bcn's suggestion an,
took turns at trying the animals PAGES
enjoying themselves So much that the,
were loath Ia end the sport when It begai
10 grow dark
II must have one more ride. and then
Will he even with the rest of YOU and ",
can ~ home. 10 said Stuart, rs Luke ann
trotting up and u himself from In,
horses back
Wouldn't old Simon be in IA rage ii h,
should happen along now ~ said Tom. n
lie helped stuart to mount.
This is about the best fun he ever fur
nishcd us. 7 laughed Stuart, rs he rod
AWAY and he'll never be any the wise
either. '
He went Gathering up the road at
good pncc and the bridge-a rough Ia.
strucfure-Was reached all too soon.
# guess III 20 II little further, Ia
thought. There's no telling when IL
get another ride and I'd better make thu
most of this"
But he went even u shorter distance
further than he intended, for half wn,
across III, bridge the horse suddenl,
stopped gave a wild snort of terror an,
hwuan To h1Ok. stuart saw TINT the ami
nlsl was frightened lay an old tree which
All-ted by lightning and deprived Of it,
Hifl. stood al the other end of the hridgi
like II ghostly sentinel, looking nlmo~.
snow white in the uncertain light but
unaccu~tomel to horses. he did not know
what To lu. and in his alarm and excite
mont pulled ioo hard On one rein Tn,
a